Problems with Twins staying in beds

Hi I'm new to this and desperate for some help/advice from somebody that may have gone thru similar experiences. I have twin girls, 27 months old. I put them both into their cotbeds 4 weeks ago. They share a room together.

Once they are asleep, I rarely have any problems with them getting out of bed, and they do not normally appear in our bedroom until 6am(ish). The problem I have is with them actually going to sleep on their own. One of my daughters was very unsettled when she first went into the bed, so i started to sit with her while she went to sleep. 4 weeks later, and she will still not go to sleep unless i am sitting near her. This has now rubbed off on to her sister too!! I have tried gradually getting further and further away, but this is still not working, as soon as i am out of her sight, she will get out of bed. They still sleep in the day, and i hardly have a problem getting them to sleep then, its just the evening! They used to go to sleep in their cots completely unsupervised, and were normally asleep by 7.15pm. I still put them to bed at 7pm, but its so frustrating, they do not fall asleep for over an hour on a bad night & its driving me insane!! As a result, i feel that they are not sleeping enough, and are often very grouchy in the day. A friend has suggested putting a stairgate across their door, and if they get out of bed, let them do what they need to do in their room, even if they fall asleep on the floor at 10pm!! This thought still horrifies me! I want to get them into the sleep routine they used to have, in bed at 7pm, and straight to sleep on their own!!!

I keep watching Carrie & Justine's Mums the Word hoping someone might appear on the show with similar probs, but not seen anything yet!!

Anyone with any ideas, please let me know - I would be so grateful for help!!

I had this problem with my twin girls when they switched from cots to beds. We ended up putting a stairgate across their door. For a couple of nights they shouted for about half an hour by the gate and got a bit cross, then they seemed to accept it and used to get out of bed and play for a while. I used to creep up when it had all gone quiet and find them fast asleep on the floor. The novelty of getting out of bed wore off though and they soon settled down again. Good luck!

Another vote for the stairgate Mellie! My dst did this trick also and it was so frustrating until I moved the stairgate to their bedroom door and left it there.

It took a few nights but eventually they got the idea that lights out is boring when you can't sneak downstairs!

Also it was handy when I did the ironing in our bedroom as it meant I could be sure they were in their bedroom and not about to appear beside me while I had a hot iron in hand. And I could also get a bath in peace knowing they were safe and playing happily.

My DT's have a stair gate on their room door, and it means that they can't escape. They now don't go to sleep straight away, and are often bumping around their room till 8.30 or so- ds invariably goes to sleep hugging his green nightlight, or sometimes hogging his sisters bed - i just "tidy" them up when i go to bed, and thats it until 6.30 or so, when it starts all over again! good luck

Thankyou all!! You've made me laugh, and see that i am not alone!! Will beg DH to get the spare stairgate from the loft for tonights fun & games! Will update you all with progess (hopefully!!)
Thanks again

We also have a stairgate on the door and it has worked really well. Was a nightmare for the first few days but gradually the time the twins were falling asleep got ealier & earlier. Now with a good bedtime routine, bath, story then bed they are fine. We never bring them downstairs once they are ready for bed! usually in bed & asleep by 7:30pm

I am dreading this stage with mine (they are currently 27 months as well) - I am putting it off as long as I can ! I think the problem with mine will not be keeping them in their room, but stopping them wrestling and giggling and generally not going to sleep